2019 Volvo S60 saloon set to take on BMW 3 Series

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Steve Fowler
James Howe

Jun 20, 2018

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US-built Volvo S60 saloon revealed in full, with no diesel engines on offer

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This is the new Volvo S60, the saloon counterpart to the recently revealed Volvo V60 estate. The new car will take on the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Jaguar XE when it arrives in the UK in mid-2019, with a likely starting price of around £30,000.

Volvo president and CEO Håkan Samuelsson has called the S60 “one of the most exciting cars we’ve ever made” and “a true driver’s car,” both of which suggest the S60 will move away from the comfort-focused approach of other Volvos, including the V60. The car will be produced at an all-new plant in the US, located in Charleston, South Carolina.

Volvo has ditched diesel power altogether for the new S60, opting instead for a range of turbocharged 2.0-litre petrols, with some featuring supercharging and plug-in electric hybrid power. There"ll be four models to choose from: the 188bhp T4 and 247bhp T5 petrol-only versions, along with the T6 and T8, which both get plug-in hybrid power for 336 and 395bhp outputs respectively.

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The recently announced Polestar Engineered performance pack will be available on the range-topping T8, dropping the 0-62mph time to 4.7 seconds and boosting power to 410bhp, while a range of sporty parts will help the car handle and look the part.

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Inside and out, the new Volvo S60 borrows much of its styling from its estate counterpart, with the biggest change being to the rear, where the S60 takes inspiration from its larger Volvo S90 cousin.

The usual Volvo focus on safety and driver assistance is present and correct, with Volvo’s Pilot Assist system available. This provides ‘level two’ autonomous driving, meaning the car can steer, accelerate and brake autonomously at speeds of up to 80mph – although the driver must be in control at all times.

The Volvo S60 will go on sale in China and North America first, before reaching UK shores in May of next year.